Spring-mounted wheel.



S. D. WILLS.

SPRING MOUNTED WHEEL. APPLICATION FIVLED OCT. l8. I913.

Patented Apr 20, 1915.v

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

/vbhmooao W 1 LL 5 THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-union WASHINGTON, D c

S. D. WILLS.

SPRING MOUNTED WHEEL.

APPLICATION mm OCT. 18, 1913.

Patented Apr.20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 lvwewcoz 5. DVV: LL 5 E NORRIS PETERS 60..PHOT0-L!THO.. WASHINGTON, D 1;.

SILAS D. WILLS, OIE FORT PAYN E, ALABAMA.

SPRING-MOUNTED WHEEL.

Application filed October 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAs D. WILLs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Payne in the county of Dekalb and State of Alabama,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- MountedWheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to spring wheels and more particularly to wheelsof that class generally known as resilient hub wheels, the presentinvention having for its primary object to produce such a wheel whereinis embodied certain structural features resulting in a maximum ofresiliency combined with extreme durability whereby the necessity offrequent repairs and the expense incident thereto is obviated.

The invention has for another of its objects to provide a spring wheelwhich will serve as an efficient and reliable substitute for the commonpneumatic tire wheel now in general use.

My invention has for another and more specific object to provide a wheelhub of improved construction wherein friction and wear upon the severalparts is reduced to a minimum.

The invention has for a further object to provide a wheel of the abovecharacter which consists of comparatively few parts all of simpleconstruction whereby the wheel may be produced at comparatively smallmanufacturing cost.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofparts to be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claimand shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a wheel embodying the preferred form of my invention; Fig.2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section takenon the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an inner face view of the wheelpartly in section; Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 ofFig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the hollow stationaryhub or sleeve which is provided upon one of its ends with an exteriorannular flange 6 and upon its other or outer end with an in-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Serial No. 796,026.

wardly projecting annular flange 7. The

rotary thimble 8 is mounted upon the hub sleeve and upon one end of thesame a collar 9 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured. The outer faceof this collar has a flange 10 formed thereon to which the sprocketwheel 11 is adapted to be secured whereby the wheel is driven from anengine or other source of power. Upon the opposite end of the thimble 8a collar 12 is secured. A similar collar 13 is threaded upon the outerend of the hub sleeve 5. The opposed faces of the collars 12 and 13 areprovided with annular raceways to receive the bearing balls 14. Upon thehub thimble 8 an annular plate 15 is loosely engaged and between thisplate and the collar 9 on the end of the thimble a pair of spokeclamping rings 16 are disposed. These rings are provided in theiropposed faces with tapering recesses 17 to receive the inner ends of thewheel spokes 18. Upon opposite sides of each wheel, clamping bolts 19extend through the plate 15, rings 16 and the collar 9 whereby thespokes are securely clamped in connection with the hub thimble. Thefelly of the wheel'to which the outer ends of the spokes 18 are securedconsists of an annular body member 20 preferably of wood, and the rimplates 21 arranged upon the opposite faces of said body member andadapted to retain the solid rubber tire 22 upon the outer face of saidmember. It will, of course, be obvious that a metal tire may besubstituted for the resilient rubber tire, if desired. Suitable bolts 23extend through and connect the body member 20 and the side plates 21. Itwill also be noted from reference to Fig. 2 that annular raceways areprovided in the opposed faces of the flanges 6 and 9 secured upon thecorresponding ends of the hub and the rotary thimble respectively, inwhich the antifriction bearing balls 21 are arranged. V

The vehicle axle designated by the numeral 25 may be of any desired formand extends into the hollow hub 5. This axle has suitably securedthereto a block 26 which is disposed within the wheel hub. The block isprovided with spaced openings 27 and in the upper end of each opening asuitable oil cup 28 is arranged. Guide rods 29 extend through theopenings 27 and adjacent the oil cups 28 and have their ends secured inthe blocks 30 which in turn are fixed to the inner wall of the hub 5.Upon opposite sides of the block 26, a coil spring 31 is arranged uponeach of the guide rods 29. These springs at one of their ends extendinto openings provided in the block 26 and are notched, as shown at 32to receive the rods 33 which extend transversely through said block andserve to securely lock the springs in connection therewith. The other orouter ends of the springs are similarly retained in connection with theblocks 80 by means of the bolts 34:.

Over the outer end of the hub 5 a washer plate 35 is arranged, saidplate being secured to the inwardly extending flange 7 of the hubby'means of a plurality of bolts 36.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawlngs, it will be seen that I have produced a spring wheel which isextremely strong and oforder, the wheel is also adapted for use uponheavy motortrucks, it being understood, of course, that the springs willbe of the proper sizefand the other parts of the required proportions inaccordance with the load to be sustained. The invention as a Whole maybe easily and quickly assembled upon the Wheel axle or removed therefromWhen necessary.

'While I have above described the preferred form and construction of theseveral elements employed, it is obvious that the invention issusceptible of a great many modifications therein and I, therefore,reserve the right to resort to all such legitimate changes that may befairly embodied in the spirit and scope of my invention as claimed.

l/Vhat I claim is The herein described spring mounted Wheel including incombination, the following elements to wit, a hub sleeve having anoutwardly projecting annular flange formed upon one end and an inwardlyprojecting annular flange formed upon its other end, an annulusdetachably threaded upon the latter end of said sleeve, a'thimbleloosely mounted to rotate upon said sleeve and having an annular flangeformed on each end, one of said flanges being of greater diameter thanthe exterior flange on the hub sleeve, a sprocket wheel rigidly mountedupon the latter flange of said thimble, means for securing the wheelproper upon the thimble, a plate bolted upon the inwardly extendingflange of the hub sleeve and entirely closing the end of said sleeve,said plate projecting upon the outer face of the annulus which isthreaded upon the sleeve, and means for yieldably mounting the wheel hubupon an axle and normally maintaining the same in concentric relationthereto.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my slgnature 1n the presence oftwo Witnesses.

SILAS D. WILLS. Witnesses: J. B. HARALSON,

H. B. BROOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner oft Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

